Jokowi must pay serious attention to Novel’s allegation: Activist

News Desk

The Jakarta Post

Jakarta |
Fri, June 16, 2017 | 05:42 pm

An activist displays a poster stating, “We fight together with Novel Baswedan” as an expression of support for the senior investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Novel, who was the victim of an acid attack in April, was a leading investigator in the KPK's investigation into the electronic ID graft case. (Antara/Reno Esnir)

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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo must pay “serious attention” to the allegation made by top corruption investigator Novel Baswedan that a high-ranking police officer was behind the severe acid attack on him, a Muslim activist said.

“It is important for President Joko Widodo to directly lead the fight by creating a joint fact-finding team involving credible figures who are trusted by the public,” Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, chairman of Muhammadiyah’s youth wing organization, told kompas.com Friday.

Muhammadiyah is the country's second-largest Muslim organization.

Novel, who underwent treatment in Singapore following the incident in April, told TIME magazine recently that he had received information that “a police general – a high-level police official – was involved” in the attack on him.

“Given this [allegation], the case cannot be handled by the police,” Dahnil said.

Top KPK officials are due to meet National Police leaders next week to discuss the latter’s investigation into the incident, which came amid a series of scuffles between the antigraft body and the House of Representatives.

Some pro-government political parties have initiated an inquiry into KPK following the extensive investigation by the latter into a gigantic electronic ID corruption case that has implicated numerous political bigwigs including House speaker and Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto. (mos)